participant observation in hostess bars gaining access to a difficult terrain hugo dias antónio rodrigues university of coimbra

trafficking in women for the purpose of sexual exploitation in portugal trafficking of human beings women and sexual exploitation portuguese context fieldwork

trafficking of human beings controversy illegal migration trafficking vs. smuggling consent coercion; misleading; trickery; unawareness

women and sexual exploitation study highlights desperation of poverty in countries of origin Amanda, 33 anos, tem 7 irmãos, e quer proteger a sua filha de 12 anos que está em Goiânia, uma vez que o marido já não é vivo. Volta e meia manda dinheiro para casa porque a sua filha é o seu tesouro, Guarda, apr 2007 the logic of secrecy and criminality apart from our disguised identity some of the illegal women tried to do some questions to see if we were security agents from the national foreign services., apr 2007 fear of State and security forces infelizmente levaram duas meninas. É um problema para elas e para o gerente… por cada uma a casa apanha uma multa de 2500… estavam clandestinas (sussurra) Paula, Aveiro, apr 2007 prostitution routine and its fears havia clientes que se dispunham a ter sexo com ela sem sequer dizerem o seu nome – ela dava alguma importância a isto, Diane, Guarda, apr2007

Fieldwork spaces & places heterotopie (Foucault, 1984) places fétichism pure/impure, exotic/regular

Fieldwork relationship undercover ethnography idiosyncrasy in practice to uncover a string of clues liminarity performance language

women and sexual exploitation portuguese context sociological camouflage not included in the typical image of violence mentioned many women that used to be prostitutes find it difficult to see themselves as victims often subject to redefinitions and changes to the rules of the game by those who find themselves in a position to take advantage of the vulnerabilities and invisibilities

Looking at their impact on Portuguese society, it could be said that the information collected in this study seems to indicate that the phenomenon of trafficking does not, at first glance, appear to reach socially worrying levels. In this respect, given the underground nature of the phenomenon, and the manner in which it depends dramatically on the information and the resources which are directed at it, it seems wise to conclude that there is no other way of combating it except by tackling the murky underworld in which it hides. women and sexual exploitation some conclusions

women and sexual exploitation some recommendations anthropology as a disciplinary field force field Scheper-Hugues, 2004